Phil Fulmer Trying To Change Mindset Around Tennessee Athletics

March 13, 2018

Fulmer said that he is not planning a major shakeup but that he wants to establish a different intensity

Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Tennessee AD Phillip Fulmer said he does not "want to put a number" on how long he will stay in the role, but it will be "long enough to do the job well and get a foundation here that I remember when I was here" as football coach, according to Blake Toppmeyer of the Knoxville NEWS SENTINEL. Fulmer took over for fired AD John Currie three months ago, and has "laid out four pillars for his athletic department: Communication, trust, warmth and intensity." Fulmer said, "Warmth is one of those things that we’ve been missing because everybody has been siloed here from different times because of the turmoil. And warmth means that I care about you, you care about me, we all care about the student-athletes." Toppmeyer noted Fulmer "believes stability is the top need within the department." Currie upon his hiring in early '17 "tapped Reid Sigmon to be his second-in-command as executive associate AD." Kurt Gulbrand and Janeen Lalik also "came aboard" at the Senior Associate AD level. The other members of the senior AD staff "are holdovers from past administrations." Fulmer said that he is "not planning a major shakeup but that he wants to establish a different intensity." Fulmer: "If you can’t be a part of the solution, that means you’re really part of the problem. That’s what we’re in a stage of right now. Do I expect a bunch of changes? No. Do I expect people to get in tune with what we’re trying to accomplish? Absolutely" (Knoxville NEWS SENTINEL, 3/11).